Ealing Council has formally adopted a new Community Charter, setting out shared principles for how the council will engage with residents in the future.

The charter, approved at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, aims to improve participation, engagement, and decision-making across the borough. The creation of the Community Charter is a direct response to recommendations from the Race Equality Commission (REC) in January 2021, representing the council's commitment to addressing disparities in engagement and developing a framework that empowers all communities to have a voice in decision-making processes.

To ensure the charter was community-led, a Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) Advisory Group was established, comprising six organisations:

  • Southall Community Alliance
  • Charity of William Hobbayne
  • West London Queer Project
  • Education and Skills Development Group
  • Golden Opportunities, Skills and Development
  • Young Ealing Foundation

Two smiling women, one wearing a hijab and the other a beanie, possibly representing community engagement.
Two smiling women, one wearing a hijab and the other a beanie, possibly representing community engagement.

The Community Charter itself lists ten foundational recommendations:

  1. Have a clear vision for engagement a commitment to open, transparent, and inclusive engagement.
  2. Demonstrate values and behaviours a guiding set of principles for engagement and expected behaviours from both residents and the council.
  3. Include citizen rights and responsibilities a list of residents' rights and the role they play in the engagement process.
  4. Be accessible making information and resources accessible to everyone with simple and clear language.
  5. Keep people informed informing people on how they have influenced decision making.
  6. Provide guidance on forms of engagement using appropriate forms of engagement, being clear about the purpose and method and evaluation of any engagement.
  7. Define and explain common terms and definitions being jargon-free and proving clarity on terms such as engagement, consultation, inform, co-design and co-production.
  8. Be inclusive actively seeking to involve underrepresented groups and ensuring all voices are heard.
  9. Equip people with the right skills ensuring that council teams have the skills, knowledge, and resources to engage effectively with diverse communities.
  10. Provide opportunity for community asset management supporting communities in taking ownership and managing local assets.

According to the Cabinet Report, the charter is intended to serve as a social contract between the council and its communities, recommending principles for active community involvement and an open, transparent, and inclusive relationship. The charter's effectiveness will be monitored quarterly through the council's performance framework at Cabinet and will also be reviewed at least annually at Full Council including direct feedback from residents, community groups, and council teams. This feedback will inform future iterations of the Charter, ensuring that it remains responsive to the evolving needs of the borough's diverse communities.